First Extension (Retirement) Using Combination Method - possible?

[hotandsticky]

Regarding applying for Extension of stay after arriving in Thailand with ‘O’ visa for purposes of retirement. Can the income method plus money in the bank be used when applying first time. Mate of mine has 50,000 baht a month pension so would have to put about 9 grand or so AUD to that to reach 65,000 a month. If he deposited that cash on arrival and then last 30 days of visa made application for extension of stay, would that be ok if he obtained a letter from the bank showing pension going in from Australia in such a short duration?

[ubonjoe]

The rules state it is possible. 

But the problem is that immigration will require 12 months of transfers into a Thai bank from abroad to prove the income part of the combination option if you cannot get a proof of income from your embassy.

[DrJack54]

15 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Mate of mine has 50,000 baht a month pension so would have to put about 9 grand or so AUD to that to reach 65,000 a month.

As uj pointed out.

Oz cannot receive embassy letter for income.

I can't recall one post where for first extension income or combination method accepted without embassy letter. 

For your mate it seems most offices require 12 month of transfers prior to day of application for extension retirement. 

Edited November 24, 2022 by DrJack54

[hotandsticky]

15 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The rules state it is possible. 

But the problem is that immigration will require 12 months of transfers into a Thai bank from abroad to prove the income part of the combination option if you cannot get a proof of income from your embassy.

 

Thank you.  

 

That makes it almost impossible for a first time applicant.

 

IF he had the embassy income letter do you think that the balancing money in the bank for 2 months would be sufficient? It would be if applying with 800k in the bank.

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

IF he had the embassy income letter do you think that the balancing money in the bank for 2 months would be sufficient? It would be if applying with 800k in the bank.

No need for 800k baht in the bank with proof of income from the embassy. It only has to be proof of income and immigration would calculate the annual income and and the amount needed in the bank reach the total of  800k baht.

[hotandsticky]

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

No need for 800k baht in the bank with proof of income from the embassy. It only has to be proof of income and immigration would calculate the annual income and and the amount needed in the bank reach 800k baht.

 

.....and that calculated amount in the bank can be held for just, say, 60 days?

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

.....and that calculated amount in the bank can be held for just, say, 60 days?

It would have to be in a Thai bank for 2 months on the day the extension is applied for.

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

.....and that calculated amount in the bank can be held for just, say, 60 days?

His income amounts to 600k p.a

To use combo method he would only need money in bank (200k) for 2 months prior to application and 3 months post application.

 

However he doesn't have embassy letter and they won't accept what's stated above. 

Most immigration offices will want to see previous 12 months.

Be aware that some offices don't even accept combination method.

[hotandsticky]

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

His income amounts to 600k p.a

To use combo method he would only need money in bank (200k) for 2 months prior to application and 3 months post application.

 

However he doesn't have embassy letter and they won't accept what's stated above. 

Most immigration offices will want to see previous 12 months.

Be aware that some offices don't even accept combination method.

Thank you.

 

I think we have to deal with the hypothesis first - and then factor in the practicalities.

 

In this case, as stated, he cannot get an embassy letter so he needs to deposit 800k if he wants to do the extension application this year.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, hotandsticky said:

In this case, as stated, he cannot get an embassy letter so he needs to deposit 800k if he wants to do the extension application this year.

Agree. 

That's the bullet proof option (money in bank)  and he look at combo method in the future.

 

Of course he would check with his immigration office to check what they would accept. 

 

Keep in mind that he needs a Thai bank account if does not currently have one. 

[kingstonkid]

Also don't forget that he has to leave 400 k in the account.

 

I use the letter method (CDN) and PT imma still want bank statement for 12 month.

[Mike Teavee]

4 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

Thank you.

 

I think we have to deal with the hypothesis first - and then factor in the practicalities.

 

In this case, as stated, he cannot get an embassy letter so he needs to deposit 800k if he wants to do the extension application this year.

Or use an agent... Approx. 23,000 THB for the initial conversion from Visa Exempt to Non-Imm O & 1st 12 months extension (so he'd be good for 15 months).

 

After that he should have proof of the monthly income coming in so can revert to using income, money in the bank or combination depending on his immigration office. 

 

Edited November 24, 2022 by Mike Teavee

[spider1197]

It also depends on which IO you go to.  I tried the combi method at Roi Et IO and they did not even know that it existed.  Luckily I had the 800K in the bank.

[murraynz]

7 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The rules state it is possible. 

But the problem is that immigration will require 12 months of transfers into a Thai bank from abroad to prove the income part of the combination option if you cannot get a proof of income from your embassy.

I used the combination method for a few years... I'm from NZ, my pension was only about 40,000baht month.. So I also had to go to NZ embassy and get a letter to verify my income From NZ pension. 

I kept over 400,000 baht in my BKK bank. 

After several years... I found this a major problem, trying to renew extension each year.. 

So now,  I just keep 800,000+ in the account, at ALL times.. 

It makes life much much. Easier. 

[hotandsticky]

On 11/24/2022 at 9:35 AM, ubonjoe said:

It would have to be in a Thai bank for 2 months on the day the extension is applied for.

 

Does the 800k have to come from an overseas source for this first extension.

[ubonjoe]

21 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

Does the 800k have to come from an overseas source for this first extension.

No

Proof it came from abroad is only required to apply for a non-o visa at immigration.

[amexpat]

On 11/24/2022 at 9:37 AM, DrJack54 said:

Most immigration offices will want to see previous 12 months.

Be aware that some offices don't even accept combination method.

Do you know if Chiang Mai accepts the combination method now?

I can go ask 3  I/O's and probably get 3 different answers.  

 

As for the income method, I used it for 10 years when I was on O-A and never also had the 400K balance that was previously mentioned as required for this method. Is this something new? 

Thanks. 

[Ocraled]

Using this combined method seems to be really confusing.

As stated in this topic, it should be ok as far as one is able to receive the affidavit of income from embassy.

I am able to get that - so far so good...

Then I have read that not all immigration offices accept it even with the affidavit...

It seems to be impossible to get any immigration office to reply to e-mails.

One I got in touch with via messenger, told that combined method would be handeled "case by case".

That is as good of information as no information at all.

 

It is pretty impossible to leave apartment, belongings and everything behind in home country, just to find out that some immigration officer won't grant extension, because having a bad day.

 

Sure, if that would happen there is always the possibility to use "agent", but I just don't see the point when requirements stated are fulfilled.

 

Depending on exchange rate, my yearly pension is about 750.000 Thb and as I told, I still can get the affidavit of income from my embassy.

 

So I'd need about 50.000 Thb deposit to fullfill the 800.000 Thb combined.

Naturally I'd go well over 50K deposit, just to compensate the currency fluxuation, but that should not make any difference weather to accept the extension or not.

 

I really don't know what to do about this.

Take a leap of faith, leave everything and cross my fingers that what ever city (and immigration office)  should I choose will follow the law?